On March 8, pianist Yosuke Yamashita donned a fireproof suit and played a burning piano on a beach in Ishikawa prefecture. The improvised jazz performance went for about 10 minutes until the flames rendered the piano silent. This video shows a few excerpts.

Yamashita's performance was a reenactment of a similar one he gave in 1973, which was made into a short film by Japanese director Kiyoshi Awazu. You can see the complete 1973 performance on Awazu's website.

QWERTY

It's art... I'm not telling you that you have to agree with it or like it, but it is still art. I doubt the pianist did this for the sole purpose of destroying a piano. Rather, I would bet that this video was made to show some sort of beauty, irony, or another artistic theme. Open your mind, and maybe you can appreciate it too.

Minnowtail

Richard

What a complete waste of good wood and materials...:( I think its a load of crap doing such a stupid meaningless thing. He could have made someone very happy with that piano. Like me for instance.
I do not like this man at all.

Minnowtail

I agree! I'm a teenage girl who loves pianos. When I started taking piano lessons at school, I begged my parents for a piano, but my dad had just lost his job and we were going through a mid-life crisis, so all they could afford to buy me was a little electric piano that didn't feel or sound like a real piano. It didn't even have pedals. I've been stuck with that piano for almost 10 years. The only times I can play a real piano is at my aunt's house (the sounding board is starting to crack so it doesn't sound very good, it's very old, and it's only an upright) or my cousins' house (the piano is under the same conditions as my aunt's, and no it's not the same piano) or at church (they have a baby grand piano and several upright pianos and an electric piano between the auditorium, classrooms, and fellowship hall). But I barely have time to play at church, I can't play the piano at school anymore except at talent shows because I don't take lessons anymore because we couldn't afford it anymore, and wherever I go to play a piano I'm sure to have either my classmates, cousins, friends or siblings begging for a turn or trying to play along. I would've given anything to get that piano. And if he really wanted to get rid of it by burning it, he probably wouldn't have wanted much for it. I hate that man!

Minnowtail

Bob

I hate seeing instruments being destroyed. The chances are this guy is just a not very good pianist and he wishes he could be as good as the top pianists so to try and get more publicity he does shit stunts like this. Wanker. He should just give up. Only the best can make it as a professional pianist and he isn't one of them.

Minnowtail

me braford

WOW But what comes to my mind is what a waste I do not have a piano and I am raising 4 of my grandchildren a or that piano would have brought great joy to them 2 boys 8 & 9 2 girls 5 & 6 they are wonderful and love instrumentals I was searching for one when I happened on this sight.Expression is great for everyone if you can afford it .If you ever want to do it again I'll be glad to build you a nice little fire with some logs and we will sit ad listen to your great god giviven talent.If you prefer a big bonfire we can do that too.

the modest

This IS art. Even if it is a $100,000 piano, there are many others in existence, and he obviously had enough money to afford the piano, and to buy another one. If it is his own piano, he can do what ever he damn well pleases with it. The music was very interesting, hearing near perfect tonal quality from the piano in the beginning, to the rancid out of tune notes at the end. It was a very nice musical experiment for him to provide us all with, and any true musician with a creative mind should at the least be content with him playing a burning piano. After all, not everybody burns their pianos, and this piano is ultimately unimportant in the grand scheme of things. And don't be jealous if he can afford a grand piano and you can't; we can't all have the best, or else there wouldn't be a best, would there?

niki

L.

I know it's supposed to be progressive and arty and so on, but I just hate to see that happen to such a beautiful instrument. I love playing the piano, I live with my parents now but planning on moving out and I wont be able afford my own piano for a long time. What a waste...

Rob

Coming to the thread late, but for the record, I loved it. I agree with 'the modest' I thought it was sonically and visually interesting, surreal and hilarious all at the same time. Do the critics also complain about 'wastefulness' of the rock musicians that smash their guitars as part of their act?? There are enough instruments in the world for everyone, save up and buy your own and then YOU decide what type of art you want to make with it. Yosuke Yamashita is both absurd and brilliant. Just because the painting doesn't appeal to you doesn't mean the artist 'wasted' his time and materials. Just move on. I find your critiques and wry comments far more boring than a flaming concert grand on the beach.

Yes this picture is a cross b/t the Edge & conservative artistic. I'm a pianist and thought I'd seen it all. But no, THIS lol. I actually have seen numerous piano misfortunes, one being 2myself, &this tops all. : )

Fred

This is way cool. I understand the issues with destroying a (perfectly good?) instrument, but bear in mind that there are not a fixed number of pianos in the world, and destroying one instrument just means that someone will be paid to build another. Let's support the world's piano builders!